Family: Back to Sunnydale
by victoriamartynne
Summary: Imagine if Connor had never been taken by Wesley, Xander and Anya had never split up and Angel had told Cordelia how he felt. Cordelia gets a phone call that leads her back to Sunnydale and back to the past.
1. Chapter One

Title: Family: Back to Sunnydale  
  
Author: victoriamartynne  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Spoilers: None, I think!  
  
Summary: Imagine if Connor had never been taken by Wesley, Xander and Anya had never split up and Angel had told Cordelia how he felt. Cordelia gets a phone call that leads her back to Sunnydale and back to the past.  
  
Dazed, Cordelia walked into the hotel. It was early but not early enough for no-one to be there. Wes was already in his office and Fred and Gunn were sat facing each across the counter. Angel was walking down the stairs holding Connor to his chest. Lorne was following him singing 'Oh what a beautiful morning'.  
  
"Hey Cor." Angel greeted her as he saw her stood by the door. "Do you want to feed Connor?"  
  
She nodded mutely and followed him to the microwave where he heated Connor's bottle.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know." She told him honestly and took Connor off him. "I got a call from my father last night. He upset me."  
  
"You should have called." He told her and watched her as she fed his son.  
  
"I didn't want to wake you, or Connor." She added.  
  
"What did he say?" He asked gently, he knew she wanted to tell him, she just wasn't sure how to. He knew that she hadn't spoken to her parents in the three years since she left Sunnydale.  
  
"He's getting married."  
  
"What about your mom?"  
  
"I have no idea. His wife to be is twenty seven. She has a twelve year old daughter and an eight year old son from two previous husbands. Both of whom are dead. They're getting married on Saturday in Sunnydale. He wants me there, although God knows why." She breathed out angrily. "I mean, he hasn't bothered with me for three years, neither of them has. And now he just calls up and wants me to join in his happy family!"  
  
"Are you going to go?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know. Sunnydale isn't exactly my favourite place. And my father isn't exactly my favourite person. But I guess I will. I am slightly curious." She admitted and then smiled at him. "Will you come with me?"  
  
"Sure." He smiled. "If you want, we could all go. Or just me and you can go. Whatever you want."  
  
"It would be nice for us all to have a holiday and I'm sure they could find some way of amusing themselves so we could have a little time alone." She grinned at him.  
  
He leant down and kissed her gently. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too." She replied and then gave him the empty bottle. "Are you hungry? I could make eggs." He offered and was greeted with a winning smile.  
  
"You mean I get to meet the girl with the goofy name?" Fred asked later on. "I'm in."  
  
"I guess a road trip could be tight." Gunn agreed.  
  
"Splendid. I'm sure Buffy and the others will be pleased to see us again." Wesley replied.  
  
Cordelia snorted. "Don't count on it."  
  
"What does that mean?" He asked. "You did tell her about Connor? And about you and Angel?"  
  
"Not exactly." She replied and then was saved having to answer by the phone ringing.  
  
She smiled. "Angel Investigations, we help the helpless." She said into the phone brightly.  
  
"Cordelia, is that you?" She heard a masculine voice ask.  
  
"Yes, who is this?" She asked warily.  
  
She felt Angel's presence behind her. "It's your father sweetheart. Don't tell me you don't recognise my voice?"  
  
"If I'd spoken to you more than once in three years then maybe I would." She replied coldly. "What do you want? How did you get this number?"  
  
"I know things sweetheart. I'm calling to find out if I can expect you on Saturday."  
  
"Yes you can expect me. I'll be bringing some friends too. We'll arrive on Friday." She told the voice on the phone who was practically a stranger to her.  
  
"You have friends? Well, I wasn't expecting that! You never were really good at making friends were you dear?"  
  
She thought she could detect sympathy in her father's voice. "I do have friends father and they will be coming with me. I'll call you when I get to Sunnydale. What's your number?" She asked angrily, wrote the number down and then put the phone down.  
  
"I need to get out of here. Fred, do you want to go shopping?" She asked and the young Texan readily agreed.  
  
"Are you okay?" Angel asked as she pulled on her coat.  
  
"I will be, I just need some air." She smiled at him and kissed him and then left with Fred.  
  
They sat in the park with coffee after walking around the shops for a while. Neither of the girls bought anything but Cordelia thought that she may go back and by an adorable outfit she saw at a second hand boutique.  
  
"Why haven't you spoken to your parents since you came to LA?" Fred asked after moments of silence.  
  
"My parents lost everything to the IRS before graduation. We lost everything, our house, all our furniture, everything. All because my dad didn't pay his taxes for the past twelve years. My parents left Sunnydale and I went to live with an aunt until I graduated. She was a bitch to me. I worked in a little store called April Fools. She took all the money I made. I couldn't go to any of the colleges that accepted me. After graduation I left Sunnydale to leave my past behind. My parents never cared about me. They gave me money and expensive presents instead of their love. I never really cared until I met Buffy and Xander and Willow. I was a bitch to them. I was a bitch to everyone, but only because I knew no other way. When I met them I saw how they were with their parents. Buffy and Joyce were so close. Even Xander and Willow got along with their parents, to an extent. I met their parents, they never met mine. When I came to LA and met Angel and Doyle and then you guys I never needed them. I guess they thought the same thing." She smiled bitterly.  
  
"I never knew that about you. I mean, everyone looks towards you here. You're the centre of Angel Investigations. I never thought things could be so bad for you." Fred told her. "You don't need them. You've got us."  
  
"Fred, honey, you really are sweet. But maybe we should get back to the hotel and actually do some work. We should at least get something done before out little holiday. And I do say that term loosely!" She grinned and took Fred's arm as they walked back to the hotel. "How do you feel about going out tonight? Maybe hit a few clubs? Thursday nights aren't all that bad in LA."  
  
Fred grinned excitedly.  
  
Cordelia went upstairs to Angel's room about eight that night. She jumped into the shower and let the water beat down on her. Only then did she let the tears fall. What the hell was her father doing to her, ringing her up after all this time. She didn't want all her memories brought back up by just seeing him. And for Christ's sake, what was he doing marrying a twenty seven year old? She would only be six years older than her!  
  
"Cor?" Angel's voice called through the door. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine." She called back.  
  
"I'll be out here when you come out, okay? In case you want to talk."  
  
She smiled and thought to herself how lucky she was. Thank God they'd gotten around that curse.  
  
Wes had researched a few months ago and found out that her new demon powers actually had the power to bind his soul and overpower his curse. They'd been lovers since then. Of course, they had been a couple before that. It wasn't just about the sex between them. Although, she had to admit, it was great!  
  
She turned off the shower and got out, dripping water on the floor. She wrapped a towel around herself and then opened the door to find Angel sat on their bed waiting for her. She cocked her head to the side. "Was there an ulterior motive to waiting for me?"  
  
"Well, maybe!" He smiled slightly and let his eyes travel over her body.  
  
With Angel she didn't mind him looking at her body. He was the only guy she would allow to leer at her. "I thought so. But you're gonna have to wait Broody Boy, I'm going clubbing!"  
  
"You are?" He asked, surprised. She hadn't mentioned it before.  
  
"Yeah, me and Fred are going to hit a few clubs, maybe got see Lorne now that Caritas is back open. And you are going to have company tonight." He looked at her quizzically. "Gunn." She smirked. "But don't worry, I'll be back."  
  
She kissed him and then dropped the towel. "Now, I know you're torturing me!"  
  
She just laughed and pulled on a pair of black low riding leather pants and a matching red leather halter. She sighed as she zipped up the pants. "I must be putting on some weight." She muttered but Angel's hearing caught it. "You're beautiful."  
  
When Fred and Cordelia came in later that night they were bordering on drunk. The were laughing and joking and Fred had spent the cab ride home telling Cordelia all about the first time she and Gunn had had sex and Cordelia was saving it all in her mind to blackmail Gunn with if she needed to. She'd just finished telling her story when they walked through the hotel doors. Angel and Gunn were sat on the couch sharpening weapons and watching the Lakers game on the portable TV. They both looked up when the girls stumbled through the doors.  
  
"Oh!" Fred stuttered as she saw Gunn waiting for her. "I think I'm going to end up in trouble." She told Cordy. "That may mean he might want to spank me or tie me up until I promise never to drink again. He doesn't like it when I drink." She admitted.  
  
Cordelia broke out in peals of laughter and even Angel smirked at Gunn's discomfort.  
  
"Girl, this is why I don't like you drinking!" Gunn said and blushed slightly.  
  
Cordelia went over to plant herself into Angel's lap. "You know baby, maybe we should go to Sunnydale drunk!" She suggested.  
  
"Maybe we should go to bed!" He suggested and lifted her into his arms.  
  
"I second that." Gunn agreed. "Come on girl!" He called to Fred and let her lean on him as they walked up the stairs together.  
  
Cordelia woke in the morning with one of the biggest hangovers she'd had in her life. She moaned as her the light from the window hit her eyes and pulled a pillow over her head. She felt her stomach churn and she felt slightly nauseous. She felt the bed shift slightly as Angel sat down on it, carefully avoiding the light the window threw out. Before he could say anything she flew out of bed and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. He could hear her being sick. He smiled slightly, remembering the state she was in last night but also felt sympathy for her, as he always did when she was in pain.  
  
In the bathroom Cordelia felt as though she was dying. Not again, she thought, not another morning of being sick. Maybe I'm coming down with something, she thought. Or not. She suspected what the problem was, she'd felt like this before. But she knew that it wasn't possible. She pushed the thought from her mind as she was sick again.  
  
There was a knock at the door. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Does it sound like I'm okay?" She muttered.  
  
She heard him laugh. "I'll bring you some toast and water. We need to set off at six tonight. It's twelve right now so you've got plenty of time."  
  
"You let me sleep while twelve?"  
  
"It's okay, Fred's still sleeping. Wes decided to be kind to you two after Gunn told him in graphic detail about the state you too were in last night. I'll bring you some breakfast." She heard him leave the room and she sighed. She opened the bathroom door and grabbed her bag from the dresser. She locked the bathroom door behind her and took what she needed from her bag. 


	2. Chapter Two

Title: Family: Back to Sunnydale  
  
Author: victoriamartynne  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Spoilers: None, I think!  
  
Summary: Imagine if Connor had never been taken by Wesley, Xander and Anya had never split up and Angel had told Cordelia how he felt. Cordelia gets a phone call that leads her back to Sunnydale and back to the past.  
  
They had Angel's car and Gunn's truck loaded up well before six. They waited while sunset before setting off. Angel, Cordy, Lorne and Connor were in the Plymouth and Fred and Wesley travelled with Gunn in his truck.  
  
"Where are we staying once we get to Sunnydale?" Lorne asked.  
  
"In Angel's old mansion. It's not a bad place I suppose. Could do with a bit of light."  
  
Cordelia answered but then added. "But judging by Angel's situation that is not possible. Sorry, honey. I guess I'm a little distracted."  
  
He picked up her hand from where it rested on the seat and gripped it in his own, lacing his fingers through hers. She smiled at him gratefully for not asking any questions.  
  
In Gunn's car, Fred was moaning in her seat. "Charles, I can't believe how awful I feel."  
  
"Alcohol does that Fred. Right now you are suffering the after effects of dehydration and."  
  
"English, if I have to hear one more sentence that sounds like it belongs in a dictionary you're out on your ass!"  
  
Cordelia found a song that she liked on the radio and hummed along, settling down in her seat with her eyes closed.  
  
"Great song." Lorne commented from the back and then gasped. "Princess."  
  
Cordelia jumped as she realised what he had done. "Lorne, no! You are not supposed to be reading me!"  
  
She turned around in her seat to glare at him angrily. "Petal, I hardly had to do a thing! You're aura is screaming right now!"  
  
"Do not say one more word!" She threatened. "We'll talk later!"  
  
"Talk about what later?" Angel asked and looked at her.  
  
"Nothing. I'm just really anxious about seeing my dad again. You know, all the old ghosts and everything." She smiled at him. "It's nothing to worry about. So don't!"  
  
They drove past the Welcome to Sunnydale sign at about nine o clock. Cordelia pulled on her shoes that she'd discarded and started to actually look at the surroundings. "Wow, nothing has changed." She muttered.  
  
The mansion had not changed at all and seemed as though no-one had lived there since Angel. Everyone went inside except Cordy who called her father on her cell. In the middle of the call she noticed Lorne standing in the shadows watching her. She rolled her eyes and ended the call, promising her father that she would meet him at a house near Buffy's at eight the next morning.  
  
"What do you want?" She asked and slipped the phone in her back pocket.  
  
"Honey, have you told him?"  
  
"There's nothing to tell." She said stubbornly. "It's impossible. It cannot be happening!"  
  
"It is though. You have to tell him."  
  
"And say what?" Cordy snapped. "Tell him that something is happening to me and I don't know how? Or I could tell him and then watch him stand there and accuse me of cheating on him. Or maybe I could try and explain to him that it's the second coming!"  
  
"Sweetie, he's got Connor and that was a miracle."  
  
"Yeah, but how many miracles does one vampire get? It's plain and simple, vampires cannot have children! So I cannot be pregnant!"  
  
"What?" Angel asked as he walked out of the door to where she and Lorne were standing. "You're what?"  
  
"Angel, I. I didn't know. Oh God." Cordelia mumbled and then fainted.  
  
She woke up with a damp cloth pressed against her forehead. "Angel."  
  
"It's me baby." He answered and stroked the side of her face. "You're okay, you only fainted."  
  
She opened her eyes and saw that she was on Angel's old bed upstairs. Connor was in his crib next to her. "Hey."  
  
The baby gurgled and smiled in response.  
  
"Cor, we need to talk. About what you said to Lorne."  
  
"Angel, I didn't want to tell you like that. I didn't want to tell you at all until I was sure." She mumbled and wouldn't meet his eyes. "I mean, I wasn't sure if you'd believe that it was yours and then I was scared that you'd break up with me and that I'd lose my job and then."  
  
"Cor, I would never think that about you. I know you love me and that I love you. If you are pregnant then I know that it will be another miracle. Did you do a test?"  
  
"Yeah, and it was positive but you're a vampire and vampires can't have children so I came off the pill and now I'm pregnant and I don't now how! I know Darla got pregnant with Connor but that whole thing was prophesied and this, this is just some big mistake!"  
  
"Do you think this is a mistake?" He looked hurt.  
  
"No!" She shouted. "I don't know. All I know is that I have a child inside of me, your child and that makes me so happy but I know that it is impossible so I'm just so confused! This can't be happening but I want it to so much!"  
  
She started to cry then and he wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay baby. It's okay. It'll be okay now. I'll look after you, I promise." He comforted her.  
  
She lay in his arms for what seemed like hours, until all her tears had dried and all she felt was tiredness.  
  
"What are we going to do?" She asked him.  
  
"I don't know." He told her honestly. "We can get Wes to research how this could have happened, and what it means."  
  
"Maybe it was meant to be." She mused. "I mean, Connor was born to two vampires.  
  
Our baby could be special because it was born to a warrior and a seer. A baby to two half demons, whatever. I guess it could be another prophecy."  
  
"You always wanted a prophecy about yourself." He reminded her with a smile as his hand trailed patterns over her abdomen.  
  
"Or maybe it's just you. You may have this whole 'Every girl I have sex with gets pregnant' thing going on. One way or another it's happening. Lorne sensed it when I started humming to that song in the car. Maybe it's the powers way of giving you a reward or their way of telling you that you're near the end of your redemption."  
  
"Maybe." He said and then kissed her. "Do you want something to eat? I think the guys ordered pizza."  
  
"Sounds good to me." She got up off the bed and stretched. "What did you tell them when I fainted?"  
  
"That you were really tired and that you just collapsed."  
  
"Great excuse." She teased but then turned serious. "Are we going to tell them?"  
  
"I guess we have to. We need their help in researching." He told her and watched her straighten her clothes and hair. "But we could wait while we get home if you want."  
  
"I really want to tell them now that you know. I mean, Lorne already knows so the others might as well." She looked at him shyly.  
  
"It's up to you baby. Whatever you want to do is fine by me. Although I might scream it from the rooftops later on!" She laughed. "I'm serious!"  
  
He suddenly grabbed her and lifted her off her feet. He twirled her round and round and then hugged her to him. "I love you so much!"  
  
"Hey Cordy, are you feeling any better?" Fred asked as they came down the stairs.  
  
"Yeah, tanks Fred." Cordelia smiled. "Have you got any pizza left, I'm starving!"  
  
"Sure girl, we saved your favourite." Gunn opened the box and pushed it towards her.  
  
Angel sat down on the one remaining chair and pulled Cordelia into his lap.  
  
She nibbled at the pizza. "This tastes really good." She admitted.  
  
"Not as good as the one in LA." Gunn grumbled.  
  
"Ignore him." Wes said. "He's homesick.  
  
"Already? We've only been gone about four hours!" Cordelia laughed. "Is there anymore lying around?" She asked, meaning the pizza.  
  
"Girl, you must have been hungry!" Gunn said and handed her another slice.  
  
"Sure, I'm eating for two now." Cordy said and then watched the reaction of her friends. Angel tightened his grip on her waist and Lorne smiled. The others just looked confused but one by one their eyes grew as realisation set in.  
  
"How is it possible?" Wesley asked and cleaned his glasses.  
  
The gesture reminded her so much of Giles that is brought tears to her eyes. "I have no idea!"  
  
"So you're going to be a mom?" Fred asked shyly. "Again."  
  
Cordy nodded.  
  
"Not to be dissin' y'all." Gunn said, looking at Angel and Cordelia. "But it is his, right?"  
  
Fred hit his arm and Cordelia threw the crust of her pizza at him. "Okay, okay! Just checking! You know, before I met y'all I was normal! There were no mystical pregnancies or souled vampires or nothin'." He shook his head but everyone could see that he was excited.  
  
"Wes, do you think when we get back home we could research this, see what the hell is happening?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Of course." He smiled. "Congratulations! Both of you."  
  
Cordelia reached across and hugged the ex-watcher, both of their eyes tearing up.  
  
"Okay, I know I'm crying because of the hormones, but what's your excuse?" She teased.  
  
"Oh, Cordy!" Fred exclaimed. "Another baby! How wonderful!" She came rushing around the table to hug both Angel and Cordy at the same time. "I guess this means that you can't drink anymore doesn't it?"  
  
"Wait a minute!" Angel interrupted. "You went out drinking last night when you knew you were pregnant? What were you thinking?"  
  
"I didn't know for sure. I only took the test this morning." She told him.  
  
"She's telling the truth kitten." Lorne joined in. "And the bubs will be fine. Hell, my mom jumped off the cowshed twice trying to get rid of me and I'm still here. A couple of drinks are not going to hurt it."  
  
"They better not." Angel almost growled.  
  
"Oh here we go again with the protective dad thing! I knew there had to be a bad point to all this. We get to see Angel go all psycho, scary dude." Gunn complained but it was clear on his face that he was happy, they all were.  
  
"Oh no, no way is putting me through all that again!" Cordelia announced.  
  
"You tell him girl!" Lorne encouraged.  
  
"Okay, so I may have gone a tiny bit overboard last time but this time it will be different." Angel told them all. "It won't be as new or different."  
  
Upstairs, Connor began to cry. Cordelia got up and went to him insisting that she wanted to go and told them she would go to bed after settling him.  
  
"She'll make a great mom." Wesley told Angel. "Again."  
  
"Yeah, I know she thinks of Connor as her own but this baby will be hers and no-one will be able to take that from her. She's going to have my baby!" Angel grinned and they all laughed at him.  
  
"Pretty soon you're going to have a little baby brother or sister." Cordelia said to Connor upstairs. She didn't see Angel stood in the doorway. "But that doesn't mean that we are going to love you any less. And when you get older you're going to have a playmate that you can go to school with and go to parties with and talk with. And you've got to know that mommy and daddy will always love you both exactly the same." She put Connor down in the middle of the bed and lay down next to him. "We will always love you, yes we will."  
  
She kissed his forehead softly and then closed her eyes with a sign.  
  
She woke at six the next morning. Angel and Connor were still asleep so she got out of bed without waking them and took her bag into the small bathroom. She took a quick shower and then slipped herself into the white dress she'd brought to wear for her father's wedding. At least with all the commotion last night, she thought, she didn't have time to think about the wedding and the hurt she'd been feeling. She put on her make-up using the small compact she'd brought with her and cursed Angel for having no mirrors in the place. At least she'd convinced him to put some up in the hotel back home. She crept out of the bathroom and left a note on the table downstairs, trying not to wake up the guys who were sprawled out in sleeping bags on the various chairs and sofas. 


	3. Chapter Three

Title: Family: Back to Sunnydale  
  
Author: victoriamartynne  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Spoilers: None, I think!  
  
Summary: Imagine if Connor had never been taken by Wesley, Xander and Anya had never split up and Angel had told Cordelia how he felt. Cordelia gets a phone call that leads her back to Sunnydale and back to the past.  
  
She left the mansion and made her way onto Main Street where she grabbed a coffee and a bagel from the coffee shop. She spotted Willow sat in the back with a girl she didn't recognise. She was going to walk away but Willow saw her and called her over.  
  
"Hi Cordelia." Willow greeted her and then hugged her. "You're here for your dad's wedding. You look really pretty."  
  
"Thanks. You know about the wedding?" She asked and then looked at the girl with Willow. "Hi I'm Cordelia."  
  
"Tara." The girl said and extended her hand. Cordelia shook it.  
  
"Everyone knows about the wedding. Kathryn is like our local celebrity."  
  
"Who's Kathryn?" Cordy asked, confused.  
  
"His fiancée. You don't know her?" Willow looked confused.  
  
"Nope. I didn't even know my folks split up." Cordelia exclaimed.  
  
"Cordelia." Willow glanced at Tara who seemed to urge her on. "Your mom."  
  
Willow was cut off by the sound of a phone ringing.  
  
"Sorry." Cordelia smiled and pulled her cell out. "Hi Angel, sorry I left without telling you but you looked so sweet sleeping. I'm on my way to my dad's now; I just bumped into Willow and Tara. He says hi." She told them. "I'll call you at sunset so I can meet you. I'll ring if I need anything. No, I'll be fine. I love you too."  
  
She ended the call and put her phone away. "What were you saying?"  
  
"Your mom, Cordelia, she. she. died." Willow stuttered. "A few weeks back. We sent a card."  
  
"I didn't know." Cordelia fell into the spare chair at their table. "No-one told me. I didn't get a card. What happened?"  
  
"She was in her car and a van came out of nowhere and forced her off the road. The car was totalled. She died in hospital. I think it was a brain haemorrhage. Cordelia I'm so sorry." Willow said and out her arm around the shaking Cordelia.  
  
"Why wouldn't my dad tell me?" She asked with tears in her eyes. "I mean, I know I didn't speak tot hem but she's been dead for weeks and I didn't know. How mean of him. He called me the other day to invite me to his wedding and he never mentioned anything." She suddenly seemed to realise where she was and who she was with.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't ruin your day. I'll be going. Are you going to be at the wedding?"  
  
"No, we're not really friends with Kathryn or your dad. Buffy probably will be, and Dawn. I think Dawn baby-sits for Kathryn's children sometimes."  
  
Cordelia nodded and said goodbye.  
  
She made her way to her father's house quickly and knocked on the door. It was answered by a young woman wearing a robe. "Oh you must be Cordelia!" She gushed and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm Kathryn, your new step mum. Or at least I will be at two o clock."  
  
Cordelia just raised her eyebrow at the way this woman was acting. "Oh, do come in."  
  
"I'm pleased to meet you." Cordelia said and looked around. "Is my father here?"  
  
"Oh no, he's at his best man's house across the road." Kathryn said and urged Cordelia to sit down in the living room. "Can I get you a drink?"  
  
"No thank you." Cordelia said and held up the coffee she was holding.  
  
"Oh, how silly of me." The woman stepped back which gave Cordelia time to look at her properly. She was about 5'7 with dark hair and dark eyes. She was pale and slight and had the whole Lilah Morgan thing going on. "I can't tell you how glad I am to have you here. I always urged Raymond to invite you here but he insisted that talking to you on the phone everyday was enough for you. He didn't want to crowd you, you see. He knows you have your own life to lead."  
  
Before Cordelia could answer a young girl walked into the room. She assumed that this was the twelve year old daughter that her father had told her about.  
  
"Momma, there's a spider in the bathroom." The girl said and eyed Cordelia suspiciously.  
  
"Hi, I'm Cordelia." She introduced herself.  
  
"I'm Morgan." The child said and shoved her glasses up her nose. She was small and had long blonde hair that she wore in pigtails. She looked younger than twelve. She turned to her mother. "Jake says that spiders are more afraid of us that we are of them but I don't believe him."  
  
"Hush now. I'll go get the spider. Why don't you sit down and talk to Cordelia, make her feel welcome." Kathryn suggested.  
  
Cordelia smiled and gritted her teeth; this was going to be a long day.  
  
Despite her first thoughts, Morgan was a nice girl. She reminded her of Fred but a little younger. Cordelia found out that she liked horses and ice skating and didn't like boys. Cordelia had laughed at that one and assured her that in a few years she found start liking boys and that they weren't that bad really. Morgan had just shook her head and told her that Jake liked to put worms in her bed.  
  
Willow picked up her cell phone and called Buffy the moment Cordelia had left.  
  
"And she really had no idea that Mrs Chase was dead?" Buffy exclaimed.  
  
"No, but she'll be at the wedding so be nice to her. She might be upset."  
  
"Since when have you been concerned about Cordelia?" Buffy asked.  
  
"She's changed Buffy, wait until you see her." Willow tried to convince her but Buffy wouldn't believe it.  
  
Angel was pacing up and down the room with Connor.  
  
"She'll be fine, man. Barbie can look after herself." Gunn shot Fred an amused look.  
  
The protectiveness was starting already.  
  
"Do you want me to go see if she's okay?" Fred offered.  
  
Angel smiled. "Would you?"  
  
Cordelia crossed the road to the house Kathryn had sent her to. Her father's best man's house. She knocked on the door and waited fro it to be answered. It was her father who stood there.  
  
"Yes?" He looked at her.  
  
"Daddy, it's me." Cordelia told him. "Surely I haven't changed so much in the last three years that you don't recognise your own daughter?"  
  
Mr Chase gasped and then hugged her awkwardly. Cordelia flinched at his touch. "I didn't recognise you. You're blonde and you're so beautiful."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me about mom?" She cut right to the chase.  
  
"I didn't think you'd want to know." He said and turned back into the house.  
  
"Didn't want to know? Father, she was my mother! Of course I wanted to know!"  
  
Cordelia felt tears sting the back of her eyes. If I didn't want to know about my mother being dead then why would I want to know about you getting married?"  
  
"Kathryn insisted that I invite you." He said and then realised the way it sounded. "I wanted to join in my special day."  
  
She nodded slowly. "You always were self centred weren't you?"  
  
"Why did you come here then if I was such a bad father?" He asked angrily.  
  
"I never said you were a bad father!"  
  
"But you implied it!"  
  
"I don't deny that!" She shouted back. "I came here for closure. I came here to see you and Miss Teenage America across there get married so I can finally be rid of you!" She screamed. "So I can finally be free from the years of my life that I hated. You ruined me you know? You and mom. But you have to admit; at least she didn't use her fists!"  
  
He struck out at her then before she realised he was doing it and hit her across her left cheekbone. "The only difference is now is that I dare hit back!" She punched him in the nose hard enough to make it bleed. "I'll stay for your wedding but then I'm out of here."  
  
With that she marched out of the house and slammed the door behind her. "Good riddance." She muttered.  
  
She bumped into Fred on the street. "Hi Cordy, did you see your. oh my God, what happened?" She asked as she saw the red mark on her face and the tears threatening to spill.  
  
"It's okay Fred, I'm fine. I just need a little help covering this up and then I'll be as good as new. And yes, before you ask I saw my dad. He's still an asshole."  
  
They both went back into Kathryn's house. Cordelia introduced Fred to Kathryn and then asked Cordelia to help bathe and dress Morgan and Jake. Fred offered to do Jake for her and Cordelia smiled gratefully.  
  
"Morgan?" She called as she entered the large pink bedroom at the back of the house. "Your mom wants me to help you get ready."  
  
"I can get ready myself." The girl said. She was sat on her bed.  
  
"Okay, well, how about I just keep you company then. Seen as though we're going to be sisters." Cordelia smiled.  
  
"Okay then." Morgan said and got up off the bed and dragged a chair so it was outside her bathroom door. "You can sit here while I get in the bath."  
  
Cordelia did as she was told. "I like your hair." Morgan told her through the open door."  
  
"Thank you." Cordelia smiled. "I like your hair too. If you want I can wash it for you and then blow dry it real nice."  
  
"Really? And then I would look like you!" The girl exclaimed and Cordelia laughed.  
  
"Okay, you can come and wash my hair, but only if you promise to use the coconut stuff 'cause it smells nice."  
  
Cordelia promised and then went to wash the young girl's hair. As she was washing it she noticed bruises on the girl's shoulders. "Where'd you get these bruises Morgan?"  
  
"I fell at school." The girl said and then went quiet.  
  
Cordelia stopped what she was doing and knelt next to the tub so she could look at Morgan. "Does my dad sometimes hurt you?" She asked. "You know, you can tell the truth to me, because you don't know me so it's okay."  
  
Morgan ignored the question but asked one of her own. "Did Ray give you that red mark on your face?"  
  
Cordelia thought about her answer but decided to tell the truth. "Yes he did."  
  
"Sometimes when I make him mad he grabs me by my shoulders and shakes me. Other times he slaps me when I do something wrong" She whispered.  
  
"Do you tell your mom?" Cordelia asked, now concerned as to what her father was doing to the girl.  
  
Morgan nodded. "What does she say?"  
  
"She just tells me that I'm imagining it and that Ray would never hurt me." Morgan said and lowered her head. "I really don't want him to hit me."  
  
"I know sweetie." Cordelia said. "She finished washing Morgan's hair and then left her for a moment to find Fred. She was sat in Jake's bathroom soaking wet playing games with him.  
  
"My dad's beating Morgan up." She whispered in Fred's ear.  
  
"Are you sure?" She asked and then the remembered the mark on Cordy's cheek.  
  
"Oh, I guess you are sure. What are you going to do?"  
  
"I have no idea. Give me a demon or a vampire and I know what to do but give me my father and I'm stumped!" She muttered and then smiled brightly as Kathryn came into the room.  
  
"Jake, honey, you'd better get out of that bath right away and get dressed!" She said.  
  
"Fred, will you be joining Cordelia at the wedding?"  
  
"I would, but I have nothing to wear." She looked down at her soaked jeans and t-shirt and smiled.  
  
"Nonsense, you can wear something of mine." She took Fred's arm and took her into her room.  
  
Cordelia got Jake out of the bath and dressed and then went back to Morgan and dried her hair and got her dressed.  
  
Finally, she was able to sit down in the living room and put her feet up. Having a baby sure takes it out of you, she thought.  
  
Her phone started ringing. He couldn't have planned it any better. "Hi baby."  
  
"Hey. I hope you're taking it easy." Angel warned her.  
  
"I've just sat down." She promised.  
  
"What are you up to?" He asked as Fred sat down next to her wearing a floor length pink dress.  
  
"Me and Fred have just got Kathryn's two kids ready fro the wedding. Willow told me something earlier on. She said that my mom had died. A few weeks back." She felt Fred grip her free hand and heard Angel take in a deep breath.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Actually I am. It's weird, but I really am okay. I'm just a little shocked that no-one told me." She told him. "But there's something else. Can you remember a couple of years ago when we were talking about our families and I told you that my dad sometimes hit me? I think he's doing the same to Morgan, Kathryn's daughter."  
  
"What do you want to do?"  
  
"I don't know. I'm going to go talk to him I think."  
  
"Be careful." He warned. "And take Fred with you. I'll come to you as soon as the sun sets." He promised.  
  
"I know. And I will be careful. I think Willow said Buffy was going to be at the wedding. She said something about Dawn looking after the kids."  
  
"At least she'll be there to protect you if something goes wrong. What do you think of Kathryn?"  
  
"She's nothing like my mom. She's young, not much older than me which, to be honest I find disgusting, and she must have had Morgan when she was, like, fifteen." Cordy told him. "I guess its weird being back here after all this time."  
  
"It's bound to be." She heard Connor start to cry in the background. "I've got to go baby. I'll call you later. I love you."  
  
"Is he worrying?" Fred asked.  
  
"Yeah, but I guess I can't blame him for it can I?" Fred just shook her head.  
  
"I think I'll go and talk to my dad. Do you want to come?" She asked. "Sure I'll come." Fred smiled. 


	4. Chapter Four

Title: Family: Back to Sunnydale  
  
Author: victoriamartynne  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Spoilers: None, I think!  
  
Summary: Imagine if Connor had never been taken by Wesley, Xander and Anya had never split up and Angel had told Cordelia how he felt. Cordelia gets a phone call that leads her back to Sunnydale and back to the past.  
Her father's best man answered the door this time.  
  
"Hi, I'm Cordelia Chase." She extended her hand. "Is my father here?"  
  
"Sure come on in honey." The man leered. "I'm Bob, his best man. It's funny; your father never mentioned he had a daughter."  
  
Cordy blinked. "I'm sure he didn't." She muttered under her breath.  
  
"Can I get you girls a drink? I got some beers or something a little stronger if you want it." He leered at Fred this time.  
  
"It's midday." Cordelia told him. "Where is my father?"  
  
"I'm right here. What do you want honey? I told you to wait at Kathryn's." He was trying to tie his tie.  
  
"I need to talk to you. In private." She said.  
  
He took her into a small conservatory at the back of the house. "What is it?"  
  
"You're beating up Morgan aren't you?" She decided to come straight out with it.  
  
"Honey, that's a strong accusation you got there." Her father held her gaze.  
  
"I know it is, but I know what you're capable of, don't I?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." He said calmly.  
  
"Yes you do!" She hissed. "I saw the bruises. I know all too well how to think up excuses but she isn't as good at it as I am. Why are you doing it?"  
  
"I'm not doing anything! How dare you come into my town and start accusing me of such absurd things. I never touched you or Morgan."  
  
"You're lying." Cordelia stood her ground. "You hit me yourself this morning. Or can't you remember that? But next time, remember that I hit you back and there will come a day when Morgan hits you back. I'm not scared of you anymore father. I don't know why you even wanted me here."  
  
"Me neither. Now go back to Kathryn's house and help her get ready. Then you will leave my house and go back to LA, the town where everyone who isn't wanted goes. And never call me again."  
  
"I didn't call you. You called me." She told him, trying to stop the quaver in her. "There really is no hope for you."  
  
She turned away from him and went back to where Fred was trying to distance herself from Bob. "Come on Fred, we're done here."  
  
They left the house and went back across the street. Fred went to keep the children busy while Cordelia went to talk to Kathryn.  
  
"Why are you marrying my father?" She asked.  
  
"He's a sweet man." She replied.  
  
"He's an old man."  
  
"I love him. He's good with the children and he treats me well. We're going to be very happy together."  
  
"How long has he been living with you?"  
  
"A couple of months. Ever since your house burned down and he lost his wife."  
  
"I thought my mom died in a car accident?" Cordelia asked, confused, as she watched Kathryn style her hair into a neat chignon.  
  
"Oh, she did. But it happened around the same time."  
  
"What do you mean our house? We lost our house to the IRS three years ago."  
  
"No, you had it temporarily claimed while the whole tax mess could be sorted out. When your father paid the money he owed to the IRS he and his wife were allowed to reclaim it." Kathryn's words stung her.  
  
"No, they left town, they went to Europe or somewhere." Cordelia stuttered, unsure of what they had told her at the time.  
  
"They went to Nebraska to stay with an aunt of yours for a couple of weeks than they came back." Kathryn turned around and smiled. "You're asking a lot of questions."  
  
"Well, I didn't even know my mom was dead until I got here." Cordelia snapped. "Now I find out that I've been lied to for three years."  
  
"I'm sure he never meant to lie to you. I'm sure it just slipped his mind."  
  
"Slipped his mind." She repeated numbly. "So, let me get this right. You were having an affair with my dad while he was living in my old house with her. Then she died in a car accident and our house burned down and he came to live with you."  
  
"Exactly!" Kathryn clapped her hands and Cordelia just raised an eyebrow.  
  
The church began filling up at about one o clock. Cordelia and Fred sat in a pew near the back. They saw Buffy and Dawn enter. "Hey Buffy." Cordelia called out.  
  
"Cordelia, hi. Willow said that you were in town." Buffy and Dawn came to sit in the pew in front. Cordelia made the appropriate introductions.  
  
"Buffy, before the ceremony starts can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure, go ahead." Buffy said, puzzled as to why Cordelia would want help from her.  
  
"Was there anything suspicious about the way my mom died?" She asked.  
  
"Nope, I don't think so." Buffy shook her head. "Why?"  
  
"No reason, there just seems to be something strange going on."  
  
"Like what?" She said, the slayer coming out in her.  
  
"I don't know. My father never told me that we didn't lose everything to the IRS. They let me live in a dump and survive on minimum wage while they lived at home in luxury. My father never told me that my mom had died and now it seems strange that he would just ring me after three years to invite me to his wedding." Cordelia explained. "And, I think he's beating up Morgan."  
  
"Oh no, he wouldn't." Dawn interrupted.  
  
"Oh yes, he would. Trust me." Cordelia said and pointed to the mark on her face where he'd hit her earlier.  
  
Dawn shut up and Buffy began talking again. "I guess there's something going on." She admitted. "But you were never close to your parents so surely you could be imagining it."  
  
"I am not imagining anything and I'm not leaving Sunnydale until I find out what."  
  
"What have you been telling Cordelia?" Raymond hissed to Morgan, gripping her arm tightly.  
  
"I didn't tell her nothing. I promise." She looked away from him.  
  
"Did you let her see the bruises?" He asked angrily.  
  
"She saw them herself." She blurted and then gasped, realising what she'd done.  
  
Raymond swung at her and hit her hard across the side of the face. She started to cry. "If you ruin this for me I swear I'll kill you!" 


	5. Chapter Five

Title: Family: Back to Sunnydale  
  
Author: victoriamartynne  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Spoilers: None, I think!  
  
Summary: Imagine if Connor had never been taken by Wesley, Xander and Anya had never split up and Angel had told Cordelia how he felt. Cordelia gets a phone call that leads her back to Sunnydale and back to the past.  
"Did Cordelia sound okay on the phone?" Wesley asked as he came back from the Magic Box with Lorne.  
  
"She's worried about Morgan, Kathryn's child. She thinks that her father is beating her up. He used to beat her up when she was younger too." He exclaimed. "You know, her mom died and no-one told her until this morning."  
  
"When did she die?" Wes asked.  
  
"A few weeks ago."  
  
"Poor Cordy. Is she okay?"  
  
"I have no idea, and until the sun goes down I won't know. Fred's with her though so I know she'll be okay." But still, worry lines were etched into his forehead. "Could you do a bit of research? Find out who this Kathryn is?"  
  
"Of course." Wesley agreed.  
  
The sun set at six o clock that night. Angel was instantly out of the mansion and in his car to meet Cordelia. He'd phoned her about five and she'd admitted that the wedding had been hard. He drove straight to Kathryn's house where he saw her sat on the doorstep waiting for him. He came and sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head. "You okay baby?"  
  
"I will be. I just know that there's something going on and I know that until I find out what it is I can't help Morgan."  
  
"We'll help you. You know that."  
  
She turned her face up to his for a kiss.  
  
"Well darling." Raymond said to his wife. "It is done. After tonight we will have everything we ever dreamed. After the ritual is complete we will have more power than any being ever has before. And it is all down to you Rakhnah. We will start the ritual at midnight. Remind me to come upstairs to polish the orbs."  
  
"I'm glad everything worked out alright. Your daughter doesn't suspect a thing. For a while I admit that I was worried. Especially when your ex found out. But we sorted that out, didn't we sweetheart?"  
  
Raymond and his new wife kissed and then rejoined the party.  
  
Angel broke away from Cordelia. "Are you really okay? I don't want you tiring yourself out."  
  
"I'm fine Angel, really. You know I won't do anything to harm the baby." She smiled at him.  
  
"I know you won't, until there's a demon that needs to be killed or an innocent that needs to be saved." He teased.  
  
"I'll be careful. I promise." She crossed her fingers over her heart. "You know, I was thinking today, I don't even know how many weeks I am gone. I should probably find that out."  
  
"Yeah, you should." He grinned. "And maybe we should think about getting back to the party. I think maybe I should meet your father."  
  
Cordelia just snorted but got up anyway and led Angel into the house, making sure she got an invitation from Kathryn so he could actually enter.  
  
The first people they saw were Buffy and Dawn. Angel's vampire hearing caught Cordy's groan so he directed her in the other direction. In the light of the kitchen he saw the mark on her cheek.  
  
"What happened?" He asked pointing to it.  
  
"My dad hit me. But before you say another word.." She held up her hand to silence him. "I think I broke his nose."  
  
Angel smirked and said nothing more.  
  
"Angel, hi." Angel recognised the voice instantly.  
  
"Hi Buffy." He replied. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm really good. I was actually thinking about coming to LA in a couple of weeks to see you. Would that be okay?" She asked, a hopeful look on her face.  
  
"Sure." He replied lamely. He knew that Cordelia would kill him for agreeing to it when they got home. "Just make sure you call first."  
  
"Great!" She beamed and then hugged him. "Me and Dawn are going now, I need to patrol and Dawn has chores to do. It was good seeing you. Both of you." She added looking at Cordelia.  
  
When she had left he turned to see Cordelia glaring at him. Before she could shout at him they were interrupted again. This time by Raymond.  
  
"When are you leaving?" He asked, ignoring Angel.  
  
"I don't know." She replied coldly.  
  
"I trust that I won't be hearing from you again?"  
  
"That depends."  
  
"On what?"  
  
"On whether you stop hitting Morgan. She has my number and if you hit her again she will call me and I will be here in a shot. You got that?" She threatened.  
  
"You're lying." He shook his head.  
  
"I'm not the liar in this family. You are. Why did you never tell me that you got the house back after I graduated?" She asked.  
  
"You were in LA. You didn't need to know." He explained and helped himself to a beer from the fridge.  
  
"I could have gone to college or got an apartment without the free cockroaches or even a car or some new clothes. You put me through hell and there's no way I'm leaving here without finding out what's going on with you."  
  
He was about to swing back to hit her but Fred came into the kitchen with Jake. He left quickly grabbing another beer as he went.  
  
"Cordy." Fred whispered to her. "I overheard your dad calling Kathryn Rakhnah if that helps."  
  
"Fred, you are a genious!" Cordy hugged her and then dragged Angel out of the door.  
  
"Cor, where are we going?" Angel asked as she dragged him down Main Street.  
  
"To the Magic Box. That's where Wes is right? I need his help, and Giles's if he will. Fred said that my dad called Kathryn Rakhnah. That sounds like a demon name to me, maybe we could find something in one of the books and figure out what the hell is going on around here. Did you sense anything about her, maybe tell if she was demon or not?"  
  
"No, but I was outside and she was inside and she did run off pretty quickly after she invited me in." Angel admitted.  
  
Cordelia suddenly stopped walking and began to float a few inches off the ground.  
  
Angel put his hands on her hips and waited for the vision to pass.  
  
She landed back on the floor after a few seconds. "Okay, there's a man walking through the cemetery about to be attacked by two vampires. We've got a little time but we haven't got time to stop at the Magic Box. We'll have to go there on the way back."  
  
"Do you think that maybe I should go alone?" He suggested, almost already knowing her answer.  
  
"No chance!" She announced and they started walking again, hand in hand.  
  
"Cordelia! Keep out of the way!" Angel shouted at her as he started fighting the vamps.  
  
The man they were protecting had run away quickly.  
  
"I'm not in the way." She protested. She was stood at least ten feet away from where Angel was fighting. "Do you need any help?"  
  
"No, just keep out of the way."  
  
"She could get in my way." One of the vamps said and headed towards her. Angel caught him and threw him into a headstone. While he was preoccupied, the other vamp headed towards her. She instantly pulled a stake out of her pocket and began fighting it.  
  
She managed to get a couple of good punches in before she was punched back. She fell backwards into a crypt. She stumbled but then staked him. Angel staked the vamp he was fighting. And then came across to her with a face like thunder she braced herself for a lecture.  
  
By the time they reached the Magic Box she was still being shouted at. They walked through the doors to find the whole Scooby gang sat there as well as the AI team, including Fred and Lorne.  
  
"Angel, stop worrying! I have fought and killed enough vampires to know that I was in no danger! Now please, we've got work to do." She turned to their audience before Angel could think of another thing to throw at her. "Fred, did you fill them in?"  
  
"Wow." Xander said. "Cordelia's got bossy."  
  
"Cordelia's got pissed off. Are we getting anywhere?" She asked again.  
  
"I believe that there is a demon called Rakhnah. Although as of yet we don't know what the demon does." Wesley told her.  
  
"We have arrowed it down slightly to discover that it has something to do with the orbs of Jhamrol. When the demon enters matrimony with a human who has ingested these orbs something happens." Giles added.  
  
"And that would be?" Cordelia prompted.  
  
"I have no idea." Wesley said. "But don't worry." He reassured. "We'll find out."  
  
"Thanks Wes, everyone. I guess it does sound like Kathryn might be a demon. She has just married a human and my father used to like collecting rare antiques. Maybe he's got these orbs." Cordelia rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Bug doesn't that mean that the ritual would happen tonight? We need to find out what's going to happen. Have you got any spare books?" She asked Giles.  
  
He looked at her in surprise, all the Scoobies did. "Of course."  
  
He gave her and Angel a book each and they settled down together to research in the corner.  
  
Angel suddenly looked up at Lorne. "Where's Connor?"  
  
"Angel cakes, I'm not going to leave Connor on his own. He's in the back room and yes daddy, I do have the monitor on." He held up the monitor to prove it.  
  
Buffy and Willow watched Angel and Cordelia closely. They looked like they were really good friends. Just friends though, Buffy thought. And Connor, she thought, that was a surprise, she could just imagine Cordelia complaining about dirty nappies and the crying.  
  
Anya and Xander were talking quietly about how Cordelia seemed to have changed.  
  
She did seem to have grown up a lot from the days where they would grope each other in the school closet. Then again, they both had.  
  
"Are you feeling okay?" Angel asked Cordelia and squeezed her hand.  
  
"I'm just a little tired I guess. I was up early today. Being pregnant sure does take it out of you though. I can just imagine me a few months down the line. Fat, being sick all the time, unable to get up on my own. The list is endless." She complained with a smile.  
  
"You'll love it." He grinned. "And you won't be fat; you'll have a baby growing inside of you. The best bit will be when it wants to come out."  
  
"Don't you dare remind me, I'm terrified already." She admitted.  
  
He squeezed her hand in response. "Maybe we should go back to the mansion." He suggested.  
  
"We can't. We have to help research. It wouldn't be fair to let them do all the work." Cordy said and then heard Connor crying on the monitor. "But maybe I can skip a little work and go get the baby."  
  
"Wow, looks like we're going to find out how motherly our old friend Cordelia is." Buffy said to Xander as she saw Cordelia go get Connor.  
  
"I want a baby." Anya said which earned her a stricken glance from Xander.  
  
"Maybe you two should stop gossiping about Cordelia and do some research." Giles suggested.  
  
"Oh, come on Giles, aren't you a little curious as to why Angel has put up with her for all these years?" Willow said.  
  
"No, quite frankly I am not." Giles said.  
  
"Peaches might have fallen for her." Spike suggested, not very tactfully.  
  
Buffy shot him a death look. "I think I'll go check on the niblet." Spike said and left.  
  
Cordelia came back with Connor nestled in her arms. She sat down next to Angel and Gunn brought his bottle across. "Cordy, we haven't found anything yet. Maybe you should go home and we'll call you if we do." He suggested.  
  
"No, I'll be fine Gunn thanks. Connor will only keep me up there and I might as well get some research done." She smiled at him and then gave Connor his bottle.  
  
"He was hungry." Angel stated.  
  
"Yeah, I think he's tired though. With the drive yesterday and everything." She sighed and rested her head on Angel's shoulder.  
  
"Look at them." Buffy said in disgust and then looked around to make sure none of the AI team was within earshot. "She's practically all over him."  
  
"If she gets any closer he'll lose him soul." Xander joked but then caught the look of anger and pain cross Buffy's face. "Not that he'd sleep with her, of course. But not that there's anything wrong with her."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Anya asked. "Do you think she's better looking than me?"  
  
"No of course not, I'm going to shut up now." He said and slunk down in his chair.  
  
"Cordy, I think I found something." Fred said and held up the book she was reading in one hand and shoved her glasses up her nose with the other.  
  
Giles and Wes came to stand behind her chair to read over her shoulder and Cordelia gave Connor to Angel in order to go see what Fred found out.  
  
"It says here that the Rakhnah demon needs the orbs of Jhamron in order for the human that has ingested them to transform into the Creator." She explained.  
  
"I guess the Creator is not going to be a God like figure."  
  
"God like might be right." She admitted. "But not a good God, an evil one. He can use his powers to rule nature. It says here that the last time the Creator was, uh, created, he tore down all the trees and greenery and only enabled evil beings to be born. All the good people and beings in the world were captured and were going to be used as bait. I said were because he was stopped. He forgot to control the earthquakes and he was swallowed into the earth. All the bad things that he did were reversed."  
  
"Okay, so this is like a graduation day apocalypse, right?" Angel looked around. "So, how do we kill it?"  
  
"This is my father we're talking about here." Cordelia said. "Is there any way we can stop it without killing it? How long have we got until the ritual is due to take place?"  
  
"It may have already happened." Wesley said. "In the book it says midnight but it could have happened earlier. It's eleven thirty now."  
  
"So, it may not have. We might still have time to stop the ritual. If not then we think up a way to turn my father back into a human or a way to kill him, but only if we have to." Cordelia said and grabbed her coat from the chair where she'd been sat. Angel gave Connor to Lorne.  
  
"Wait!" Buffy said and held up her hand. "Who put you in charge around here?"  
  
"No-one did." Cordelia said calmly. "But if you've got a better plan then tell me now. If you haven't then can I please count on you for your help?"  
  
Buffy shut up but grabbed a stake off the table.  
  
"Do you think we'll need Spike?" Fred asked.  
  
"No, I don't think so." Giles replied. He liked the young Texan. "Once we know what the situation is then we can re assess and see is he is needed."  
  
"Okay, so we go then." Gunn said. 


	6. Chapter Six

Title: Family: Back to Sunnydale  
  
Author: victoriamartynne  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Spoilers: None, I think!  
  
Summary: Imagine if Connor had never been taken by Wesley, Xander and Anya had never split up and Angel had told Cordelia how he felt. Cordelia gets a phone call that leads her back to Sunnydale and back to the past.  
They reached Kathryn's house within no time. They stood huddled under the trees out of sight from the house.  
  
"Okay, so what do we do?" Buffy asked no-one in particular.  
  
"We need to find out whether they've gone to bed or not yet." Wesley said and tried to see whether there was any movement in the lower part of the house.  
  
"Their bedroom is around the back, upstairs." Cordelia said and then thought for a moment. "But Morgan's room is around the side on the ground floor. I could sneak around to the window and ask her where they are."  
  
Giles nodded. "That sounds like a good plan. But be quiet and run if you get seen."  
  
"Why don't I go?" Buffy suggested. "I have the slayer strength and I can run faster.  
  
"We're not breaking in with a tree trunk. I'm tapping on the window and waiting until she comes to me. She trusts me." Cordy argued impatiently.  
  
"Be careful." Angel said and gave her a warning look.  
  
She understood and nodded.  
  
She ran quietly around the side of the house until she saw Morgan's window. The light was on inside so she tapped on the glass gently.  
  
"Morgan, it's Cordelia. Don't be scared, it's only me. I just want to talk."  
  
She gasped when she saw Morgan's tiny face at the window. Her skin was bruised and her lip was bleeding. "Morgan, what happened? When did he get you?"  
  
"Ray hit me and he wouldn't stop." She said and then started to cry. "He said that me and Jake were spying on mommy. He locked me and Jake in our rooms and we can't get out."  
  
"Where's Jake's room? Next to yours?" Cordelia asked quickly.  
  
The girl nodded and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.  
  
"Stay here. I'm coming back fro you, okay?" Cordelia promised.  
  
She crept further around the house to the next window. "Jake?" She called out. "It's Cordelia, I've come to let our out."  
  
The little boy was sobbing uncontrollably. "I want my mommy!" He wailed.  
  
"I know sweetie." She soothed and then raised her arms to lift him out of the window. "We'll see if we can find your mommy for you but we need to get you out of here first." She promised and scooped the boy off the window ledge.  
  
His arms and legs instantly wrapped around her.  
  
She carried him back around to Morgan's window and heard the sound of a door breaking upstairs and a roar of some kind. "Morgan, come on quickly!"  
  
The girl clambered onto the ledge and swung herself to the floor with Cordelia's help.  
  
She quickly grabbed hold of Cordelia's hand. They began to run around the house as Morgan's door was broken open from the outside. Cordelia turned around and gasped. Her father looked out of the window. His face was blue and his hair was now red but his features were the still the same. He saw Cordelia and the children stood there and breathed fire at them.  
  
Morgan screamed and Jake just cried harder.  
  
"Come on!" Cordelia shouted and dragged Morgan behind her as she ran back towards where the others were still hiding.  
  
"What happened?" Buffy asked as Cordelia appeared.  
  
"It's happened." She breathed heavily, Jake still in her arms clinging onto her neck.  
  
"He beat Morgan up before and then he locked her and Jake in their rooms. My father is now blue and has red hair and he can breathe fire."  
  
"You didn't stop to fight him?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I thought that seen as though I had two children with me who were scared and upset I thought I would maybe get them out of there instead of stopping to get myself killed!" She shouted angrily to the slayer.  
  
"Cordy, it's okay." Wes said and picked Morgan up. "We'll go back to the Magic Box and figure out ways to stop him."  
  
"To kill him." Cordelia clarified, a hard look on her face. "He was a monster before he changed, I'm not letting him hurt anyone else. This ends as soon as we find out how."  
  
They took the children back to the Magic Box where Anya, Willow and Lorne were waiting with Connor.  
  
Anya's eyes widened when she saw the children. "More children. Why do we have more children? Was there another prophecy or a fire at the orphanage?"  
  
Xander shot her a look and she shut up.  
  
"Giles, have you got a first aid kit?" Cordelia asked him.  
  
He nodded and went to fetch it.  
  
Cordelia and Wesley put the children down on the couch together. Cordelia knelt down in front of them. Angel squeezed her shoulder and then left her to it.  
  
"Morgan, do you want a drink or anything? Jake?" She asked them both.  
  
They shook their heads.  
  
Giles brought her the first aid kit and went to stand with the other Scoobies, who were all watching her curiously.  
  
"Morgan, I need to clean up those cuts on your face, okay?" She said gently, she didn't want to alarm her or frighten her any more than she already was. "I won't hurt you."  
  
"Did Ray hit you too?" Jake asked quietly, his eyes wide in shock.  
  
"Yes he did." She gulped.  
  
"He hit me too sometimes." Jake confided.  
  
Cordelia nodded and applied a little of the antiseptic to Morgan's face. She flinched when the girl did. "I'm sorry."  
  
It only took a few minutes to clean up her face. Morgan looked a little better without all the dried blood on her face but she still looked pale and she had dark bruises around her eyes.  
  
She left them while she went across to where the AI gang were sat.  
  
Angel instantly wrapped her arms around her and let her lean against him in comfort.  
  
Tears escaped her eyes as she thought of what her father had done to them and now to himself. He murmured comforting words into her hair.  
  
"You need to get some sleep baby." He told her.  
  
Giles came across and gave Fred a cup of tea for her.  
  
"I can't sleep." She told him back. "What if he comes after them? We don't know what he's capable of now that he's a demon."  
  
"We could take them back to the mansion with us." He suggested. "There'll be plenty of firepower if he comes anywhere near."  
  
She pulled back to look at him. "Could we?" She wiped her eyes as he nodded and she took the tea off Fred with a smile.  
  
"Is Connor okay?" She turned to Lorne to ask.  
  
"He sure is Princess. He's sleeping in the back. Only took a couple of minutes to get him down." Lorne promised. "Poor little guy was all tuckered out.  
  
Buffy came across to the AI team.  
  
"What's the plan?" She addressed Angel.  
  
"We're going back to the mansion and we'll start on it again in the morning." Angel replied. "You should go home and we'll meet you here in the morning, about nine."  
  
"What are you doing with the children?" She asked.  
  
"They're coming home with us." Cordelia told her and then pulled herself out of Angel's arms to go and talk to Morgan and Jake.  
  
"Cordelia's changed Buffy." Angel said to her. "I saw you watching her earlier. She's changed from what she was back in school. She's been forced to grow up and take responsibility. It hasn't been easy on her."  
  
"And it's been easy on me?" Buffy snapped. "I died! And you weren't there."  
  
"Is that what's bothering you? Well, listen to me Buffy. You did die, and I did come. But you're not the only person in my life. I have Cordelia and my son and my family. You need to stop living in the past." He didn't shout he just spoke forcefully. The words hit home and the slayer ran out of the shop before he or anyone else could say anything.  
  
Willow followed her just as Cordelia brought the children across.  
  
Lorne came back with Connor and they said goodbye to the remaining Scoobies and went back to the mansion.  
  
Gunn and Fred made up beds for Morgan and Jake with the spare blankets they'd found in one of the cupboards in the bedroom while Cordelia and Angel went upstairs to take care of Connor.  
  
Lorne insisted on making hot chocolate for everyone and laced all of them except Cordelia and the children's with vodka.  
  
Cordelia and Angel came downstairs. Cordelia looked very tired and Wesley suspected, with a smile, that Angel had insisted that she go to bed but she had refused. Although they argued a lot everyone could tell that they were crazy about each other.  
  
Angel flopped down onto a small beaten sofa dragging Cordy down with him who instantly curled herself around him, resting her head on his chest. She accepted the mug of hot chocolate gratefully.  
  
"Morgan and Jake are fast on already." Fred told them after checking on them in the other room.  
  
"Good." Cordelia sighed. "I could kill my dad for doing what he did to them."  
  
"That approach might be quite useful later on." Wesley pointed out. "I might hit the books and find out what the Creator actually does."  
  
"What about Kathryn? Rakhnah, whatever, what happens to her now that the ritual is over?" Fred asked.  
  
"I don't know." Angel replied. "Maybe one of us should check it out in the morning. See if there is any sign of her."  
  
"I'll go." Gunn offered. "I'll pick up some coffee and doughnuts while I'm out."  
  
"Sounds good to me, but I really need to go to bed." Cordelia yawned and then got up from the sofa. "Stay here if you want." She said to Angel and then kissed him.  
  
She checked on Morgan and Jake before going upstairs.  
  
"What are we gonna do with the kids once the Creator is killed?" Gunn asked. "And if their mom stays as a demon? I mean, is she a good demon or a bad demon? In my book, a demon that can create something as bad as this dude is not gonna be Mary Poppins."  
  
"I have no idea." Angel admitted. "I think Cordy feels responsible for them because she feels a bond with them. Her father used to beat her up when she was younger and she feels that now he's doing it to them she should have been able to stop it. She'll probably want to take them back to LA with us if Kathryn is evil and needs to be killed. The hotel's going to turn into a day care centre." He groaned and then got up to go upstairs.  
  
"Yeah, but you'll love it." Lorne called as he made his way up the stairs. "Just think about it kids, once Angel thought that he'd never have kids and now he's going to have four of them!"  
  
The gang laughed.  
  
"I heard that!" Angel shouted down.  
  
Cordelia was sleeping by the time he got into bed. She sensed him get into bed or felt the bed shift and rolled over to wrap her arms around him. "I love you."  
  
They awoke in the morning to Connor crying. A glance at her watch told her it was only six am. They'd only had about four hours sleep. She groaned as she swung her legs out of bed.  
  
"I'm coming honey. Mommy's coming."  
  
She walked over to the crib and picked him up. "What are you crying about, huh? Don't you know how early it is?"  
  
She took him back to the bed and put him in the middle before climbing back in. "Morning." Angel said to them both. "What time is it?"  
  
"Six am." She replied. "He sure likes to keep us on our toes."  
  
"Just wait while we've got two of them to chase around." He smiled.  
  
Cordelia groaned. "They'll both be crawling around the place, screaming at night, bumping their heads, being sick.Speaking of."  
  
Cordelia ran to the bathroom with the first morning sickness of the day. She bumped into a sleepy looking Fred on the way an only just managed a hastily shouted sorry as she ran past.  
  
"What's up?" Gunn asked from his position half on the sofa and half off. "Barbie got sick again?"  
  
"She is pregnant." Fred scolded him for making fun of her.  
  
She emerged ten minutes later looking a little rough around the edges. Her hair was stuck up and her brow had beads of sweat on it.  
  
"Morning sickness is a bitch." She said simply and went back up to Angel.  
  
"Is it getting to you honey?" He asked worriedly.  
  
"It's bearable." She smiled. "I survived killer visions more than once; a little morning sickness isn't going to bring me down."  
  
"I love you for this."  
  
"Only this?" She teased. "Can't you possibly think of another reason?"  
  
"I'm sure that at a push I could." He teased back and then laid a hand on her stomach. "It's amazing isn't it?"  
  
"It sure is." She agreed.  
  
Gunn went to Kathryn's house before everyone else had even got up. When he got back Fred went to make the children's breakfast and Wesley went to the Magic Box to talk to Giles about possible theories.  
  
Angel came to meet Gunn to find out what was going on. Cordelia had fallen back to sleep.  
  
"Kathryn has gone. All her stuff is still there so she hasn't skipped but she wasn't in the house. You think maybe she went after Cordy's pop?" Gunn asked.  
  
"I don't know, she could have." Angel ran a hand through his hair. "I'm going to go to the Magic Box through the sewers. Lorne is stopping with the children. Wait for Cordy. When she wakes up tell her where I am. Don't let her do anything that'll hurt her or the baby."  
  
"Sure thing." He patted Angel on the shoulder as he left.  
  
Angel came into the Magic Box in the basement. He found Spike rooting through the bottles in the storage area.  
  
"What are you doing?" Angel asked, his arms folded.  
  
He jumped. "I'm looking for something to put in my blood. I found something tasty down here last time I just can't remember what it was."  
  
"Try some cinnamon." He suggested and went upstairs to the shop.  
  
Wes saw him instantly. "I've got something."  
  
"What is it?" He asked and saw all the Scoobies sat around with books. Willow was on her laptop.  
  
"The Creator can be killed by finding his human weakness and using it against him." Wesley explained. "That means we need Cordelia for this one. We need to find him and have her talk to him until something reaches him. Also, Rakhnah should now be completely human now the ritual is over. So she will be Kathryn and probably wanting her children. Also, she may have been completely unaware of the effects of the ritual. She may have had no idea that the ritual would have meant her losing her powers, if she had any and her demon half."  
  
"Gunn went by her house this morning and found nothing. All her stuff is still there so she's just left the house, not town."  
  
"Okay, when Cordelia gets here we find out if she knows anywhere that her father would go. Xander and Anya have offered to go and search for Kathryn and Willow is trying to find a suitable spell that will locate Mr Chase. Some of them require something of Raymond's so I may need to send Buffy there to get a piece of clothing or some other belonging."  
  
"Thanks for doing this Wes. It means a lot to Cordelia." Angel said.  
  
"I know." Wes smiled and went back to join Giles behind the counter.  
  
The Magic Box was open and there were customers in the shop that Giles needed to serve. Wes had been helping as well as researching, although Giles kept muttering that he was about as useful as he had been at being Buffy's watcher.  
  
Cordelia arrived at the Magic Box at about ten thirty.  
  
Buffy instantly began mumbling about how some people thought it was acceptable to stroll in to do some work right when it was all done. She was silenced by a look from Giles.  
  
Angel went across to her as soon as he saw her and took her into the back room to talk to her privately.  
  
He told her what Wes had found out.  
  
"Maybe he could be at our old house, although I guess it will be burnt out. Or he could be at my mother's grave. I don't know, I don't know him any more."  
  
"Its okay, it's better than what we've come up with." He promised and kissed the top of her head. "Do you know what his weakness could be?"  
  
"I don't know. I guess this one's up to me though, huh?" Cordelia sighed. "Just something else to add to the list. I haven't got to kill him though, have I?"  
  
"Hopefully not. I really don't know." He admitted. "I just know that we need you to find his human weakness. A bit like when Faith told Buffy to play on Mayor Wilkins' weakness."  
  
She breathed out. "I'm starving."  
  
Xander and Anya went off to find Kathryn. Willow found the perfect spell on the Internet.  
  
"The only problem is that it can't be used until the sun sets." She explained.  
  
"Then we wait." Angel said. "I'm not sending Cordelia off on her own in the day to find him."  
  
"We can go with her." Buffy argued.  
  
"There is no way she is going without me. She could get hurt." Angel said menacingly.  
  
"Hey, I am stood here." Cordelia waved her arms around.  
  
"We are losing valuable time in waiting for sunset! Who knows what kind of evil that thing is up to?" Buffy shouted. "She could be trying to stop it." She said and pointed to Cordelia.  
  
"She has a name!" Cordelia shouted back. "Hey Buffy, I know you've been dead and everything but surely you can remember an old school friend's name!"  
  
"You were never my friend and you never will be." Buffy spat. "Do you want to be responsible for people dying?"  
  
"We don't know that that is what will happen." Cordelia argued as Giles, Wes and Willow came to stand in the doorway after hearing the raised voices. "We know nothing about what powers my father actually possesses."  
  
"No, correction, we know that. You were told it after walking in an hour and a half late after doing nothing! You didn't do any work, we did!" Buffy shouted at her.  
  
"I don't need this!" Cordelia shouted and pushed her way past Buffy and went back into the shop. "I am sick of you bitching! People change Buffy; we are not the same people we were in high school. Maybe if you opened your eyes and saw that then we could actually be friends!"  
  
With that she ran out of the doors. Angel was left worried, wondering where she had gone.  
  
She ran back to the mansion. Lorne had left a note saying he had taken the children to the park. Gunn and Fred must have made their way to the shop and missed her. She went straight upstairs and lay down on the bed. Sobs began to escape her and she lay crying for what her father had done to her and what he was doing now. She cried for the mother she never knew she had and for Buffy, the friend she never had. She knew she shouldn't have shouted at Buffy but hormones were raging around her body and she had no control over her emotions. She had found herself crying that morning when Gunn had told her there was no more coffee left after she had already had two cups. She rested her hand on her stomach. Was she sure she really wanted to bring a baby into a world so cruel?  
  
Buffy sat quietly at the Magic Box. Even dawn and Spike couldn't bring her out of her bad mood. She shouldn't have shouted at Cordelia but she couldn't stand to sit around doing nothing while innocent people could be getting killed. And she hated Angel for sticking up for her like that. There was a time when he would have stuck up for her and no-one else. Maybe when all of this madness was over she could go to LA and see if there was a chance they could be together. Maybe spending time together could remind him how much he once loved her. She decided to ask him  
  
She looked around. "Where's Angel?"  
  
"Cor?"  
  
There was silence in the mansion. He found Cordelia upstairs on the bed; tear marks still streaked her face.  
  
He asked no questions, he just lay beside her. Instinctively, her arms went around him and she rested her head on his chest.  
  
"I don't know what's got into me." She mumbled. "I shouldn't have shouted at her. I didn't even realise I was until I had started to."  
  
"I think she encouraged you." He told her. "And you know it's just hormones."  
  
"I know, but she doesn't know that. And to be honest I don't want them to. They don't even know about me and you do they?" He shook his head. "They would only judge me if they knew and hate me even more than they do right now. I can never make up for what I was like in school. I don't know why I expect to."  
  
"People change." He told her simply.  
  
"I'm not too sure; she's still the same self centred person she was back then. Xander still wouldn't know a brain was if his own small one was dragged out through his nose. Willow's still the same but I think she's mellowed a bit. I guess that might be due to Tara and the whole gay thing. Anya's still the same with the tact and so is Giles with his books."  
  
"I can't argue with that." He said with a soft laugh. "But why don't we get a bit self centred while we have this whole place to ourselves? I've found out that the woman I love is carrying my child and I haven't even had the chance to show her how much I love her for it." He complained and lifted her chin so he could look at her.  
  
"I'm sure we can work something out." She whispered and then kissed him. She let his tongue part her lips and deepen the kiss while his hands travelled up her body. She moaned and let her hands do their own wandering. She gave herself to him and their love making was filled with so much passion and tenderness that it brought tears to her eyes. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Title: Family: Back to Sunnydale  
  
Author: victoriamartynne  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Spoilers: None, I think!  
  
Summary: Imagine if Connor had never been taken by Wesley, Xander and Anya had never split up and Angel had told Cordelia how he felt. Cordelia gets a phone call that leads her back to Sunnydale and back to the past.  
The sun set and Willow cast her spell. Her eyes turned white and images flashed in her mind.  
  
"I can see trees and dirt. Why can I see dirt? I see blackness. There's a fireplace and there's a bookcase. It's a room with red wallpaper but it's black. It flashed to black. There's fire, a ring of fire and a book. I think its Latin or Greek. There's a painting above the fire. It has a house in it and a stream." Willow's eyes turned back normal. "That's it guys."  
  
"It's okay, I got it. It's my old house. In the library." Cordelia said and grabbed one on Angel's swords.  
  
"The cheerleader had a library?" Spike asked Gunn who just shrugged.  
  
Xander and Anya burst into the shop with a very disgruntled looking Kathryn.  
  
"Sorry guys, we haven't got time." Buffy said as she ran out of the door with Wes hot on her heels. "Keep her here though."  
  
The rest of the AI gang and the Scoobies quickly followed and jumped into the various cars waiting outside.  
  
They pulled up outside what used to be Cordelia's very magnificent home. Now it was half fallen down with the fire and had black covering the two remaining walls that stood.  
  
Cordy gasped in shock as she saw it. "Oh my God." She breathed.  
  
They all sensed that she needed to do this alone and so stood back to give her space. She walked through what would have been the front door, the sword swinging by her side. The others followed.  
  
She walked through what would have been the dining room. Part of the roof had caved in and the table was a chunk of charred wood. She swallowed heavily, remembering her family sat around the table eating dinner on large white plates with crystal glasses and napkins. It was a far cry from what she was used to now. She left that room and entered the living room. There was nothing left, just blackness. She left quickly and opened the door to the library. It fell off its hinges with a large crash.  
  
She jumped and placed a hand on her fast beating heart to try and steady her nerves. She peered around the doorway and looked inside. Her father, or rather, the Creator, was sat in the middle of a large circle of fine reading aloud from a leather bound book.  
  
"Father stop!" She ordered.  
  
He looked up in shock, the flames disappearing. "How dare you interrupt my ceremony?"  
  
"I dare to do more than that."  
  
"And what are you going to do now? Weak child."  
  
"I'm going to kill you father." She threatened, her voice only wavering slightly. "With that sword, I don't think so." He laughed scornfully. "With your hands, I don't think so either. So why don't you go and look in a mirror or something that you're good at and let me finish my ritual and end the world quietly?"  
  
Cordelia thought she heard someone catch their breath behind her, as if they were stopping themselves from laughing. She refused to give them the satisfaction of turning around.  
  
"Over my dead body."  
  
"Don't tempt me child." He grinned evilly, his yellow eyes glowing shockingly against his blue skin and red hair.  
  
"You keep saying child. But I'm not a child anymore. You can't hurt me anymore. I'm not a weak innocent child that you can batter your fists against."  
  
The words struck home as they were meant to.  
  
"You're not going to terrify me anymore. I'm not going to run away from you, scared." She took a step forward. "I'm not going to scream as I feel your knuckles hit my face or your feet kicking me stomach. And I'm not going to let you make me beg for mercy."  
  
Her father fell to his knees, weakening.  
  
"Can you remember my seventh birthday?" She continued, seeing him weaken. "You gave me two black eyes and a broken rib. I couldn't even go to my own party. Or remember when I was twelve; I put a lock on my door for the first time. You hit me for putting it there and then hit me again for taking your tools without telling you. I screamed at you to stop more times. Every night you would come to my room and batter me with your hand because your business wasn't running right or you'd had a fight with mother."  
  
She saw him visibly shake. "Yes, mother. You'd hit her too. She'd run screaming through the house because you were chasing her with a knife or baseball bat."  
  
He screamed. "Shut up bitch!"  
  
"No! You know you did it! I heard the screams and felt the pain! And now she's dead, your wife's dead! My mother is dead! And all because of you! You bullied both of us for so many years but you never controlled either of us, and that's what scared you."  
  
The tears came all at once. "You never even told me she'd died."  
  
He screamed out in pain and patches of normal coloured skin flashed across his blue skin. "Stop!"  
  
"No! You would never stop so why should I? You made me beg and you made mom beg so now you should beg!" She screamed.  
  
Blood began to seep down his shirt sleeves. He ripped open the shirt to reveal a large bloody hole over his heart. Something inside him began moving and he began to scream hideously. His heart began to pull itself out of his body.  
  
Cordelia looked away and Angel instantly came to hold her. The sword she was holding crashed to the floor and she sank to her knees taking Angel with her. Behind them Willow fled the room and Fred hid her eyes.  
  
For a second her father looked at her with eyes filled with love and then he exploded into thin air, leaving only his heart on the floor.  
  
The AI gang and the Scoobies left the house, leaving only Cordelia and Angel sat on the floor. She clung to him and cried.  
  
"It's over, right?" She whispered after all the tears had gone.  
  
"Right." He replied and stroked her hair. "Do you want to get up?"  
  
She nodded and he helped her stand up. She noticed the books on the bookshelf and went over to it. There were two leather bound books on the bottom shelf that she noticed and picked up. None of the books had been touched by the fire.  
  
"Let's get out of here." She said and smiled.  
  
They arrived back at the Magic Box to find Kathryn sat with her children. They instantly came over to hg Cordelia when they saw her.  
  
"We're leaving town." Kathryn said. "I was just telling your friends. We're going to stay with my mother in Montana for a while, until things settle down."  
  
"I understand." Cordelia smiled. "I'm glad things worked out okay." "I really did have no idea what would happen at the ritual. He just told me that we would have power. Well, I suppose he did. I just lost all mine. I wasn't an evil demon. I used my powers to heal; I could heal injuries and cure illness. I'll miss being able to help people." She admitted and clung to her children. "I had no idea he was hitting the children. They told me that it happened at school and I was a fool to believe them."  
  
"You don't have to have demonic powers to help people. There are plenty of good things you can do with your life to help people." Cordelia told her and tucked a strand of Morgan's hair behind her ear. "Can I trust you to do something for me?"  
  
Morgan smiled and nodded. "If I give you this card will you promise to write to me or send me pictures?"  
  
Morgan nodded as Cordelia handed her an Angel Investigations business card.  
  
"Be good for your mommy, okay Jake?" She kissed his forehead.  
  
"Goodbye Kathryn." She said and watched as they left the store.  
  
Cordelia stumbled as she walked further into the store.  
  
"You did good Barbie." Gunn said.  
  
"Yeah, you did Cordelia." Buffy said, almost grudgingly.  
  
"Thanks." Cordelia replied with a small smile.  
  
"When are we going home?" She asked as she took Connor off Lorne.  
  
"How soon do you think we can pack up the car?" Gunn joked but they all knew he was serious.  
  
"Hey Cor." Angel said as an after thought. "What are those books that you picked up?"  
  
"One is a photo album and the other is a jewellery box." She smiled. "Some of the stuff in it is worth thousands."  
  
Angel just smiled.  
  
They set off while it was still dark. Goodbyes were said and e-mail addresses were exchanged but everyone had to admit, the Scoobies and the AI gang, they were glad that they were going home. Whether it was back to their homes in Sunnydale or back to LA.  
  
The End. 


End file.
